Luo Chen pondered what to ask for.
'At least one Supreme Grade Sword, for my own use.'
'I also need to get a few Logia and Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits. I can reward my subordinates in the future.'
'And finally, the real goal, is money.'
Luo Chen's thoughts turned. After weighing his options for a long time, he said:
"One Supreme Grade Sword."
"Ten Logia or Zoan Mythical type Devil Fruits."
"Two hundred billion Beri."
Inside the Den Den Mushi, Saint Saturn said coldly: "The Supreme Grade Sword is no problem, but the Devil Fruits and two hundred billion Beri is too much."
"One Logia, one Mythical Zoan. The other eight Devil Fruits can be of any type."
"One hundred billion Beri."
"This is the World Government's bottom line. Agree, and you release them."
"Disagree, and we shall descend personally."
Far away in the Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
Jaygarcia Saturn and the other four elders had faces full of anger.
If not for the depleted defense forces at the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, they would never have bargained with Luo Chen.
They would have descended and killed Luo Chen, regardless of the cost.
In this great war, one Marine Admiral permanently stationed at Mary Geoise had been sent out.
The top-tier fighting force, the God's Knights, had also been teleported to Marine Headquarters.
Their high-end combat power was scarce.
The five of them had to guard Mary Geoise, to guard Lord Imu.
As for letting Shanks and the others fight Luo Chen...
To be honest, Shanks wouldn't necessarily listen to them.
Shamrock, Sengoku, and Akainu most likely couldn't take down Luo Chen's group and the Whitebeard Pirates.
Therefore, they could only make a deal with Luo Chen.
Pay a certain price to get the two Marine Admirals back.
In reality, at this moment, Saint Saturn and the other Five Elders felt it was utterly absurd.
Two Admirals, renowned as the World Government's peak fighting power...
Had actually been captured alive.
Waiting for them to pay a huge ransom.
This made them even more furious than when Rocks invaded the Holy Land decades ago and killed a Marine Admiral.
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, holding his long sword, said coldly:
"After this, Aokiji's and Kizaru's suitability as Marine Admirals must be re-evaluated."
"Sengoku, Tsuru, and the other high-ranking Marines must all be held accountable."
"They gathered three Admirals, nearly twenty Vice Admirals, and one hundred thousand Marine elites. Such a force was actually crushed by Luo Chen alone."
"He even sank Marine Headquarters."
"All the money and resources the World Government has spent over so many years were all wasted on a bunch of trash!"
Hearing his words, the other four nodded silently.
They were also extremely dissatisfied with the performance of Sengoku and the others; it could even be called exceptional fury.
Besides ransoming the admirals, they also had to clean up Sengoku's mess.
The whole world now knew that the Marine Fleet Admiral had forced an innocent Marine into becoming a pirate.
How to handle the public opinion was giving the Five Elders a massive headache.
...
At the former site of Marineford, in the nearby sea.
Luo Chen held the Den Den Mushi and said, "Alright, I agree to the terms."
"One Supreme Grade Sword."
"Ten Devil Fruits, at least one Logia and one Mythical Zoan."
"One hundred billion Beri."
"Seven days from now, at Sabaody Archipelago. We'll exchange the goods for the cash."
Behind him, in the wooden cage, Kizaru's face showed helplessness.
'Goods for cash.'
'Luo Chen is treating him and Kuzan like cargo for a transaction.'
But it was good that he agreed.
If they were really captured and taken back by Luo Chen, who knew what kind of treatment he and Aokiji would suffer.
To be honest, Kizaru thought that this person, Luo Chen, was a bit crazy.
Deliberately entering Impel Down to recruit subordinates.
Attacking Marine Headquarters to force a confession from Onigumo and Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
These were not things a normal person would do.
And those two meteors... they completely refreshed his understanding of Luo Chen's power.
This was practically a humanoid Ancient Weapon.
With two meteors falling, any island in the world would be annihilated.
Marineford, which could be called the most heavily defended place in the world, was sunk by Luo Chen.
Kizaru didn't think any other island could withstand two meteors.
As for the Holy Land, Mary Geoise...
That was built on the Red Line; it couldn't be considered an island.
As the Den Den Mushi was hung up, many people secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The tens of thousands of Marine elites drifting on the sea.
The crew members of the Red Hair Pirates.
The ordinary pirates under Whitebeard.
Their strength was at the absolute bottom in this war, no different from cannon fodder.
The aftershock from any top-tier expert's attack could easily kill them.
If the fight continued, their chances of survival were very low.
Luo Chen and the Five Elders reaching a deal meant that at least for today, no new major battle would break out.
It could come to an end.
Atop the wood dragon's head, Luo Chen looked at the black monster in the sea.
To be precise, he looked at Sengoku on the monster.
The Marine Fleet Admiral's hair was disheveled, and he sat slumped in despair, silently raising his head.
"Sengoku, the grudge between us is not over."
"No matter where you go after today, I will find you and kill you."
After Luo Chen spoke coldly, the wood dragon turned and flew into the distance.
The Ark Maxim followed closely behind, with Enel, Bullet, Shiryu, and the others standing on its deck.
On the sea surface below, the wood colossus paddled with one hand and held the cage imprisoning Kizaru and Aokiji with the other, swimming into the distance.
The Going Merry, along with the Whitebeard Pirates' Moby Dick and dozens of giant wooden ships, sailed into the distance, scattered across the sea like stars.
Behind them, Marine Headquarters was long gone.
At its original site, only a massive sea trench over ten kilometers in diameter remained, with seawater pouring into it endlessly.
Within the trench, the outline of the meteor was faintly visible.
Not far away, a black monster floated on the sea.
Marine Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Great Staff Officer, Tsuru.
The Hero, Garp.
Admiral Akainu.
Everyone silently watched Luo Chen and Whitebeard leave.
Each person had a different expression.
The atmosphere was extremely dull and oppressive.
Red-Haired Shanks sighed lightly, returned to the Red Force, and left with his crew.
The four members of the God's Knights watched Luo Chen's departing figure with cold eyes.
On the sea surface in the distance, Gecko Moria and Blackbeard Teach each sat on a wooden plank.
Crocodile stood on an aerial platform condensed from sand.
They looked at Luo Chen's departing figure, their eyes full of apprehension.
They were deeply shaken by today's battle.
Luo Chen's strength made them extremely wary.
If this person also intended to compete for the great treasure and become the Pirate King, he would be an extremely terrifying opponent.
Mihawk, however, was alone, paddling his small boat into the distance with his black sword, Yoru.
...
After getting some distance away from Marine Headquarters.
Luo Chen dispersed the wood dragon and landed on the deck of the Going Merry.
Nami's face lit up, and she postured as if to pounce on him.
But after just two steps, she was pushed aside by someone, stumbling.
Hancock didn't even look at her, rushing to Luo Chen's side and asking with concern.
She asked if he was injured.
Was he tired? Was he hungry?
If he was tired, she would take care of him while he rested.
If he was hungry, she would find someone to cook.
Luo Chen shook his head.
"I'm fine."
"But in this battle, you've made your position clear. The Marines and the World Government will likely revoke your privilege as a Warlord of the Sea and launch a war of extermination against Kuja Island."
Hearing this, Hancock's cheeks flushed, and she said with a mix of shyness and pleasant surprise:
"Luo Chen, are you concerned about me?"
"It's fine. The Marines have been crippled by you. As for the World Government, I've hated them for a long time anyway."
Luo Chen frowned slightly in thought.
'Hancock's head isn't clear right now.'
'Her intelligence plummets when she's in love.'
'If Kuja Island is left ignored, it will definitely not escape the clutches of the World Government and the Marines.'
"Hancock, what do you think about relocating the citizens of Kuja Island? Come with me, to the New World," Luo Chen said slowly.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]